Integrated Shipping Label and Customs Form

1. A non-transitory computer-usable medium communicatively coupled to an online postage system configured to enable a user computer to print an international shipping label for use within an international postal system, the computer-usable medium having a sequence of instructions which, when executed on a processor, cause the processor to: generate a postage indicium in response to a request received from the user computer, wherein the postage indicium is a self-validating postage indicium unique within the international postal system, the unique self-validating postage indicium containing a character string unique to the international postal System and a digital signature derived from the unique character string; transmit the unique self-validating postage indicium to the user computer over a communications link; and enable the user computer to print an international shipping label having a plain text customs declaration form, the unique self-validating postage indicium, and a customs form tracking number printed thereon, wherein the plain text customs declaration form includes a field for providing a plain text description of contents for an international package onto which the international shipping label is to be placed, and wherein the customs form tracking number is unique within the international postal system and logically linked to the unique self-validating postage indicium and the plain text customs declaration form printed on the international shipping label.

2. The computer-usable medium of claim 1 , wherein the unique self-validating postage indicium includes a two-dimensional barcode.

3. The computer-usable medium of claim 1 , wherein the sequence of instructions further cause the processor to provide the user computer with import restrictions for a desired country where the international package is to be shipped.

4. The computer-usable medium of claim 1 , wherein the sequence of instructions further cause the processor to provide the user computer with a harmonization table that maps a plurality of product descriptions to a plurality of numerical harmonization schedule codes, wherein the plurality of numerical harmonization schedule codes represent the plurality of product descriptions using an international classification system.

5. The computer-usable, medium of claim 4 , wherein the sequence of instructions further cause the processor to provide the user computer with import restrictions for a desired country where the international package is to be shipped based on the plurality of numerical harmonization schedule codes in the harmonization table.

6. The computer-usable medium of claim 4 , wherein the plain text description of the contents for the international package comprises one or more of the plurality of numerical harmonization schedule codes that represent the contents for the international package using the international classification system.

7. The computer-usable medium of claim 6 , wherein the one or more numerical harmonization schedule codes that represent the contents for the international package are identified in a Boolean search through the harmonization table provided to the user computer.

8. The computer-usable medium of claim 1 , wherein the sequence of instructions further cause the processor to enable the user computer to select one of a global priority delivery type, a global airmail delivery type, or a global economy delivery type, the international shipping label further having the selected delivery type printed thereon.

9. The computer-usable medium of claim 1 , wherein the postage indicium includes an indicia version number, algorithm identification, certificate serial number, device identification, ascending register, postage, date of mailing, originating zip code, software identification, descending register, and rate category.

10. The computer-usable medium of claim 1 , wherein the plain text customs declaration form further includes a field for providing a plain text value for the contents of the international package, a field for providing a plain text type for the contents of the international package, and a field for providing a plain text country of origin for the international package.

11. The computer-usable medium of claim 1 , wherein the plain text description of the contents for the international package comprises free form plain text typed into mailing software provided at the user computer.

12. An online postage system configured to enable a user computer to print an international shipping label for use within an international postal system, comprising: a postage-issuing computer system; and a first communications link connecting a user computer with the postage-issuing computer system, wherein the postage-issuing computer system is configured to: transmit a unique identifier request to a tracking computer system connected to the postage-issuing computer system over a second communications link, wherein the tracking computer system generates a character string unique to the international postal system in response to the unique identifier request; store the unique character string generated at the tracking computer system in a database coupled to the postage-issuing computer system generate a postage indicium in response to a request received from the user computer over the first communications link, wherein the postage indicium is a self-validating postage indicium unique within the international postal system, the unique self-validating postage indicium containing the unique character string generated at the tracking computer system and a digital signature derived from the unique character string; transmit the unique self-validating postage indicium containing the unique character string to the user computer over the first communications link in response to the postage indicium request received from the user computer; and enable the user computer to print an international shipping label having a plain text customs declaration form and the unique self-validating postage indicium printed thereon, wherein the plain text customs declaration form includes a field for providing a plain text description of contents for an international package onto which the international shipping label is to be placed.

13. The system of claim 12 , wherein the unique self-validating postage indicium includes a two-dimensional barcode.

14. The system of claim 12 , wherein postage-issuing computer system is further configured to enable the user computer to select one of a global priority delivery type, a global airmail delivery type, or a global economy delivery type, the international shipping label further having the selected delivery type printed thereon.

15. The system of claim 12 , wherein the postage indicium includes an indicia version number, algorithm identification, certificate serial number, device identification, ascending register, postage, date of mailing, originating zip code, software identification, descending register, and rate category.

16. The system of claim 12 , wherein the postage-issuing computer system is further configured to grant refunds for induced postage transactions lost due to error.

17. The system of claim 12 , wherein the plain text customs declaration form further includes a field for providing a plain text value for the contents of the international package, a field for providing a plain text type for the contents of the international package, and a field for providing a plain text country of origin for the international package.

18. An online postage system configured to enable a user computer to print an international shipping label for use within an international postal system, comprising: a postage-issuing computer system; and a communications link connecting a user computer with the postage-issuing computer system, wherein the postage-issuing computer system is configured to: generate a postage indicium in response to a request received from the user computer over the communications link, wherein the postage indicium is a self-validating postage indicium unique within the international postal system, the unique self-validating postage indicium containing a unique character string and a digital signature derived from the unique character string; transmit the unique self-validating postage indicium containing the unique character string to the user computer over the communications link; and enable the user computer to print an international shipping label having a plain text customs declaration form, the unique self-validating postage indicium, and a customs form tracking number printed thereon, wherein the plain text customs declaration form includes a field for providing a plain text description of contents for an international package onto which the international shipping label is to be placed, and wherein the customs form tracking number is unique within the international postal system and logically linked to the unique self-validating postage indicium and the plain text customs declaration form printed on the international shipping label.

19. The system of claim 18 , wherein the postage-issuing computer system is further configured to transmit a unique identifier request to the tracking computer system over the second communications link in response to the request received from the user computer, wherein the tracking computer system transmits the unique character string to the postage-issuing computer system in response to the unique identifier request.

20. The system of claim 18 , further comprising a tracking computer system connected to the user computer over a second communications link, wherein the user computer is further configured to: transmit a unique identifier request to the tracking computer system over the second communications link; receive the unique character string from the tracking computer system over the second communications link, wherein the tracking computer system is configured to transmit the unique character string to the user computer in response to the unique identifier request; and transmit the unique character string to the postage-issuing computer system over the communications link connecting the user computer with the postage-issuing computer system.

21. The system of claim 18 , wherein the unique character string comprises a unique tracking number.

22. The system of claim 18 , wherein the postage-issuing computer system is further configured to apply a private key to the unique character string to derive the digital signature.

23. The system of claim 18 , wherein the postage-issuing computer system is further configured to provide the user computer with import restrictions for a desired country where the international package is to be shipped.

24. A method for operating an online postage system configured to enable a user computer to print an international shipping label for use within an international postal system, comprising: receiving a request for a postage indicium at a postage-issuing computer system, wherein the request is received over a communications link connecting a user computer with the postage-issuing computer system; generating the postage indicium at the postage-issuing computer system in response to the request received from the user computer, wherein the postage indicium is a self-validating postage indicium unique within the international postal system; the unique self-validating unique postage indicium containing a character string unique to the international postal system and a digital signature derived from the unique character string; transmitting the unique self-validating postage indicium from the postage-issuing computer system to the user computer over the communications link; and enabling the user computer to print an international shipping label having a plain text customs declaration form, the unique self-validating postage indicium, and a customs form tracking number printed thereon, wherein the plain text customs declaration form includes a field for providing a plain text description of contents for an international package onto which the international shipping label is to be placed, and wherein the customs form tracking number is unique within the international postal system and logically linked to the unique self-validating postage indicium and the plain text customs declaration form printed on the international shipping label.

25. The method of claim 24 , wherein the unique self-validating postage indicium includes a two-dimensional barcode.

26. The method of claim 24 , further comprising providing the user computer with import restrictions for a desired country where the international package, is to be shipped.

27. The method of claim 24 , further comprising providing the user computer with a harmonization table that maps a plurality of product descriptions to a plurality of numerical harmonization schedule codes, wherein the plurality of numerical harmonization schedule codes represent plurality of product descriptions using an international classification system.

28. The method of claim 27 , further comprising providing the user computer with import restrictions for a desired country where the international package is to be shipped based on the plurality of numerical harmonization codes in the harmonization table.

29. The method of claim 27 , wherein the plain text description of the contents for the international package comprises one or more of the plurality of numerical harmonization schedule codes identified in a Boolean search through the harmonization table provided to the user computer, the one or more numerical harmonization codes representing the contents for the international package using the international classification system.

30. The method of claim 24 , further comprising enabling the user computer to select one of a global priority delivery type, a global airmail delivery type, or a global economy delivery type, the international shipping label further having the selected delivery type printed thereon.

31. The method of claim 24 , wherein the postage indicium includes an indicia version number, algorithm identification, certificate serial number, device identification, ascending register, postage, date of mailing, originating zip code, software identification, descending register, and rate category.

32. The method of claim 24 , wherein the plain text customs declaration form further includes a field for providing a plain text value for the contents of the international package, a field for providing a plain text type for the contents of the international package, and a field for providing a plain text country of origin for the international package.

33. A non-transitory computer-usable medium communicatively coupled to an online postage system configured to enable a user computer to print an international shipping label for use within an international postal system, the computer-usable medium having a sequence of instructions which, when executed on a processor, cause the processor to: generate a postage indicium in response to a request received from the user computer, wherein the postage indicium is a self-validating postage indicium unique within the international postal system, the unique self-validating postage indicium containing a character string unique to the international postal system and a digital signature derived from the unique character string; transmit the unique self-validating postage indicium to the user computer over a communications link; enable the user computer to print an international shipping label having a plain text customs declaration form and the unique self-validating postage indicium printed thereon, wherein the plain text customs declaration form includes a field for providing a plain text description of contents for an international package onto which the international shipping label is to be placed; provide the user computer with a harmonization table that maps a plurality of product descriptions to a plurality of numerical harmonization schedule codes, wherein the plurality of numerical harmonization schedule codes represent the plurality of product descriptions using an international classification system; provide the user computer with import restrictions for a desired country where the international package is to be shipped based on the plurality of numerical harmonization schedule codes in the harmonization table; and: trigger a warning message at the user computer in response to determining that the import restrictions for the desired country apply to the contents of the international package.

34. A non-transitory computer-usable medium communicatively coupled to an online postage system configured to enable a user computer to print an international shipping label for use within an international postal system, the computer-usable medium having a sequence of instructions which, when executed on a processor, cause the processor to: generate a postage indicium in response to a request received from the user computer, wherein the postage indicium is a self-validating postage indicium unique within the international postal system, the unique self-validating postage indicium containing a character string unique to the international postal system and a digital signature derived from the unique character string; transmit the unique self-validating postage indicium to the user computer over a communications link; enable the user computer to print an international shipping label having a plain text customs declaration form and the unique self-validating postage indicium printed thereon, wherein the plain text customs declaration form includes a field for providing a plain text description of contents for an international package onto which the international shipping label is to be placed; provide the user computer with a harmonization table that maps a plurality of product descriptions to a plurality of numerical harmonization schedule codes, wherein the plurality of numerical harmonization schedule codes represent the plurality of product descriptions Using an international classification system; provide the user computer with import restrictions for a desired country where the international package is to be shipped based on the plurality of numerical harmonization schedule codes in the harmonization table; and prevent the user computer from printing the international shipping label in response to determining that the import restrictions for the desired country apply to the contents of the international package.

35. An online postage system configured to enable a user computer to print an international shipping label for use within an international postal system, comprising: a postage-issuing computer system; and a communications link connecting a user computer with the postage-issuing computer system, wherein the postage-issuing computer system is configured to: generate a postage indicium in response to a request received from the user computer over the communications link, wherein the postage indicium is a self-validating postage indicium unique within the international postal system, the unique self-validating postage indicium containing a unique character string and a digital signature derived from the unique character string; transmit the unique self-validating postage indicium containing the unique character string to the user computer over the communications link; enable the user computer to print an international shipping label having a plain text customs declaration form and the unique self-validating postage indicium printed thereon, wherein the plain text customs declaration form includes a field for providing a plain text description of contents for an international package onto which the international shipping label is to be placed; provide the user computer with a harmonization table that maps a plurality of product descriptions to a plurality of numerical harmonization schedule codes, wherein the plurality of numerical harmonization schedule codes represent the plurality of product descriptions using an international classification system; provide the user computer with import restrictions for a desired country where the international package is to be shipped based on the plurality of numerical harmonization schedule codes in the harmonization table; and trigger a warning message at the user computer or prevent the user computer from printing the international shipping label in response to determining that the import restrictions for the desired country apply to the contents of the international package.

36. The system of claim 35 , wherein the plain text description of the contents for the international package comprises one or more of the plurality of numerical harmonization schedule codes identified in a Boolean search through the harmonization table provided to the user computer, the one or more numerical harmonization codes representing the contents for the international package using the international classification system.

37. A method for operating an online postage system configured to enable a user computer to print an international shipping label for use within an international postal system, comprising: receiving a request for a postage indicium at a postage-issuing computer system, wherein the request is received over a communications link connecting a user computer with the postage-issuing computer system; generating the postage indicium at the postage-issuing computer system in response to the request received from the user computer, wherein the postage indicium is a self-validating postage indicium unique within the international postal system, the unique self-validating unique postage indicium containing a character string unique to the international postal system and a digital signature derived from the unique character string; transmitting the unique self-validating postage indicium from the postage-issuing computer system to the user computer over the communications link; enabling the user computer to print an international shipping label having a plain text customs declaration form and the unique self-validating postage indicium printed thereon, wherein the plain text customs declaration form includes a field for providing a plain text description of contents for an international package onto which the international shipping label is to be placed; providing the user computer with a harmonization table that maps a plurality of product descriptions to a plurality of numerical harmonization schedule codes, wherein the plurality of numerical harmonization schedule codes represent plurality of product descriptions using an international classification system; providing the user computer with import restrictions for a desired country where the international package is to be shipped based on the plurality of numerical harmonization codes in the harmonization table; and triggering a warning message at the user computer in response to determining that the import restrictions for the desired country apply to the contents of the international package.

38. A method for operating an online postage system configured to enable a user computer to print an international shipping label for use within an international postal system, comprising: receiving a request for a postage indicium at a postage-issuing computer system, wherein the request is received over a communications link connecting a user computer with the postage-issuing computer system; generating the postage indicium at the postage-issuing computer system in response to the request received from the user computer, wherein the postage indicium is a self-validating postage indicium unique within the international postal system, the unique self-validating unique postage indicium containing a character string unique to the international postal system and a digital signature derived from the unique character string; transmitting the unique self-validating postage indicium from the postage-issuing computer system to the user computer over the communications link; enabling the user computer to print an international shipping label having a plain text customs declaration form and the unique self-validating postage indicium printed thereon, wherein the plain text customs declaration form includes a field for providing a plain text description of contents for an international package onto which the international shipping label is to be placed; providing the user computer with a harmonization table that maps a plurality of product descriptions to a plurality of numerical harmonization schedule codes, wherein the plurality of numerical harmonization schedule codes represent plurality of product descriptions using an international classification system; providing the user computer with import restrictions for a desired country where the international package is to be shipped based on the plurality of numerical harmonization codes in the harmonization table; and preventing the user computer from printing the international shipping label in response to determining that the import restrictions for the desired country apply to the contents of the international package.